Climate Blogging for a Minute

I’m going to shift the focus of this blog for a minute to the breezy topic of how we’re basically tied to the front of a train hurdling down the tracks to our own doom.

Check out this cool video if you’re still a skeptic. (And no, “natural climate change” has never happened this quickly–we can tell based on ice cores going back hundreds of thousands of years how fast natural climate change happens. It’s nothing like this.)

Beginning in October, a lot of important climate reports have come out, although you could miss them if you blink with the amount of other news under which they get buried. I’m going to write one post per report just to keep them short.

My only hope is to raise awareness, as this is no longer a problem we can pass along to the next generation. The scientific consensus is in: we have until about 2030 to get out ahead of this thing. That’s 12 years. That’s almost certainly within your lifespan if you’re reading this.

The major problem is that this isn’t something “we” can fix by recycling more or conserving water or eating vegan or driving a Prius. Those are great steps, but we need MASSIVE, coordinated effort by all (particularly large) countries … immediately. Hmm. That is a depressing thought, only because we know the likeliness of it happening 😦

Why? Why can’t people on a large government scale look at the problem, say “this is worth addressing,” and freaking address it?

Because it’s easier to let people drive their trucks (yes, I have one too), keep that coal plant open till, like, whenever… because… jobs? I don’t know what the logic is, honestly. There are way more jobs in developing and manufacturing alternatives to fossil fuels.

But there’s quite literally no plan on the horizon at all. Really no countries are on target to meet their Paris Climate Accord goals, and those goals are not radical enough to stop massive increases in crop failure, climate refugees, droughts, fires, floods, et cetera.

It’s too overwhelming. Easier just not to think about. To live in the here and now, plug your ears, and sing “la la la la la la!” But I invite you to continue reading my series. If nothing else, just to maybe learn something new.